Together we make a family
by Bookworm813
Summary: Sebastian x Ciel. After a bad fight Sebastian abandons Ciel . Ciel makes a contract with a human, and sort of adopts his unwanted young daughter. Then Sebastian shows up... The story is better then the summary. No flames please!
1. Chapter 1

6 months. It had been 6 months since my demon butler abandoned me without a trace. We had been fighting since I became a demon, but I never could have imagined him someday leaving me. As had become our usual, the new manor Sebastian had provided me with as soon as we descended into hell was filled with the sounds of us shouting at one another. We were both angry, and, I like to believe, saying things we didn't mean. Words like 'I hate you' and 'I wish I had killed you long ago' were flying. I was furious beyond belief and a haze filled my vision. Every imaginable insult flew from my mouth, I could not contain them. My hands were clenched and my small frame shook. That was the day I learned a very valuable lesson, everyone has a braking point. My eternal butler left me that day. As I watched him spin on his heal and deliberately walk out the door, looking as immaculate as always even though he had been screaming just as much as I, I longed to go after him. It was my damn pride that kept me from running up and wrapping my arms around his middle so he couldn't leave. Since then the mansion had been eerily silent. Every sound echoed. Even the squeak of a mouse or the sound of my footsteps sound foreign and unsure. It's enough to make one miss the screaming. And so for 6 months I had remained in an empty house haunted by regret and memories, waiting for Sebastian to return. I was done waiting.

The sun had set on another bleak and uneventful day. The gnawing hunger in the pit of my stomach had become a constant and unrelenting ache that could not be cured by any human food, I had tried. It was time to form a contract, but some part of me was reluctant. Granted, I had no NEED to stay in the empty manor any longer, even if by chance Sebastian DID decide he wanted to return to my side the contract remained fully intact. He could locate me at any time, I need not stay in the place he had left me in order to be found. Still, leaving felt like giving up on that last frail, yet stubborn hope that my demon would return. But finally, I was left with little choice if I wanted to survive, which I was extremely keen on. And so, starving and broken, I left my haunted manor for the first time in 6 months. After spending so much time in doors, the swirling flames and empty soul sucking voids of hell had become almost intolerable. I would in no way miss the pit of despair I had learned to call home.

Once on earth, I knew to hunt for a soul desperate enough to bind themselves to me through a contract. My hand instinctually flew to my right eye, still covered by my typical black eyepatch. I could still feel the connection. Some days it became almost a burn in the back of my eye. On those days I wished fervently I had ordered Sebastian to destroy the contract before he left, but most days I was glad it was there. It served as the only reminder that our time together was real, and not just a fading dream.

That was when I heard the plea. Long and pain filled, full of despair, hate, and rage. The primitive howl tugged at my most basic demonic instinct, to feed. I knew instinctively, this was what I had been waiting for. I followed the cry to a large manor that much resembled the mansion of my childhood. I ran down the corridors, until arriving in a large, well furnished, bedroom. The howl had come from a man who knelt on the floor. Tears streamed down his face and despair seemed etched into his every feature, but his body trembled not with sobs, but with fury passionate enough to set the world alight. In his arms lay the cold, bleeding body of a dead woman, whom I could only assume was his wife. Her blue eyes stared listlessly up at the ceiling, and upon her face a look of horror was frozen. Her bodice was soaked in blood, and it smeared across the floor, and the suet of her grieving husband. Her sandy colored hair was matted with dried, sticky globs of the thick red substance, and it was slowly drying in streaks on her pale skin. her body, however, was not the most horrific sight in the room. Beside her lay the mangled body of a young boy. 4 or 5 years old at most. The child's sightless eyes were the same blue as hers, but his hair better reflected the amber color of his father's. his neck was twisted at an odd angle, and blood trailed down his cheek from his mouth. The boy's tiny limbs were bent unnaturally as well, as if someone had taken great joy in breaking each and every bone, and his torn suet was soaked with thick, dark, blood. It was truly a gruesome sight, even for someone as... Experienced in the area of death and murder as I. Allowing my eyes to reveal their true demonic hue, I approached the man.

"Would you seek revenge on the one who has done this?" I asked him, my voice cold and resounding. As expected the man startled, whipping his head around to face me

"And what would you know of revenge?" He asked, the malice and despair in his raspy, choked voice, displayed pure hostility. I chuckled; he was perfect.

"Oh I know more then you ever will, human, but the only thing that matters to you is that I can help you achieve yours. For a price, of corse." I had his attention now.

"Name your price, and I will pay it." The man demanded.

"Your soul."

After I explained the rules of our contract I gave the man one last chance to reconsider. Still, he did not waver. I placed the seal of the contact on his palm. As for myself, I chose the back of my hand, as Sebastian wore ours. After the process was complete, my new master began to question me.

"What is your name demon?" I hesitated. I considered allowing my new contractor to choose a name for me, but chose instead to retain my old name. The last thing that remained of my old life.

"Ciel Phantomhive." I answered sharply. "And yours... Master?"

"Richard Donavan." The rules of my contract with Richard were clear. I would help him in all things until he obtained revenge on whoever slaughtered his wife, Clarissa, and his son, Thomas.

"What would you have me do... Master?"

"Begin preparations for a funeral for my late wife and son, then clean this room and seal it off. After that begin dinner preparations." The man demanded. I bowed, my posture ridged. Already I was finding taking orders demeaning and distasteful.

I was almost compleat with dinner preparations when I heard an infants cry emitted from one of the bedrooms. At first I endeavored to ignore it, but as it went on the cries became more hoarse and pitiful, and harder to ignore. When I followed the cries to their source, I was surprised to find myself in a small room. The walls were a pastel pink, and large stuffed animals were resting up against almost every surface. A cream colored canopy hung over an ornate white cradle. I approached the cradle, from where the cries were coming. I peered down into the crib, and was not especially surprised to find a wailing infant, probably a year old at most. I lifted the little girl out from her cage-like bed.

"What to do with you..." I muttered under my breath. Her tiny face was turning a shade akin to that of a beat. I began gently bouncing the child, as I vaguely remembered seeing mothers do with their infants when I was still human. With the child's cries calmed to a pitiful wine, I balanced her in the crook of my arm, and set off to find her father.

I found my new contractor in the study, bowed over some assumedly important paperwork. The door was cracked open, but, like a good butler, I knocked before entering.

"Come in Ciel." He called, sounding both disinterested and faintly peeved. He seemed to have recovered a good deal from the tragic death of his wife and child, or perhaps he simply wore a mask over his pain. Either way, it mattered little to me.

"I... apologize for interrupting... master," I began through gritted teeth. This constant show of submission was a disgrace to my family name, and a wound to my pride that I almost couldn't bare. "But I have come across a child who I must assume belongs to you." The mans head snapped up, finally taking interest for the first time. When his eyes fell upon the child in my arms, he winced, as if someone had prodded a fresh wound. Richard quickly regained his composure however, and returned to his state of indifference.

"I care little for the child. Do with it what you will, just take it from my sight." I was shocked by his icy tone, but kept my face schooled into the blank expression of a dutiful butler.

"Yes my lord." I replied with a bow, extorting the room. As I turned to go the child began to sob again, as if she knew how coldly her father had spoken of her fate. On an act of impulse, I called over my shoulder, "what am I to call the child... Master?"

"Call it what you will, I care not." With that final dismissal, I headed to the kitchen to find a bottle for the little tyke. As I walked down the twisting hallways covered in grand portraits of displeased looking nobles, I talked to the child, trying to sooth her endless cries.

"So, you have been abandoned by this world as well it seems. Your mother and brother are dead, and your father seems to wish you would join them. That makes you and I the same I suppose. We have both lost the people who cared for us, and are hated by the ones we care for. The world is a cruel place little one, but don't worry, your not entirely alone. I will care for you, until the day I devour your fathers soul that is." Little did I know, but that day would not come for almost another 6 years.


	2. Chapter 2

"Please please please PLEASE!" The bouncing little ball of energy clinging to my arm begged.

"No." I said firmly, for the umpteenth time, "you've had enough sugar, it will be impossible to put you down for a nap now!" I groaned, regretting my choice of words instantly, as the tyke latched on my arm wailed. "NO NAPS!"

"Echo." I warned, as I looked down at the child. Her big green eyes framed by long, dark lashes, peered up into mine. Her dark blond hair, which hung as long, choppy bangs around her face in the front, had been recently cut by her own hand. The majority of her hair (the parts she had not gotten to with scissors) was tied into a long braid that reached a bit past her waist. I sighed. "No more sweets. How about we buy you some ribbons for your hair instead." I suggested. I knew from experience distracting her often worked better then reasoning. Sure enough her tiny face lit up with joy that seemed a bit extreme for something as trivial as hair ribbons. She threw her arms around my middle.

"Thank you Ciel!" She squealed. I leaned down and kissed the top of the girl's head.

"Be sure to thank your father when we get home as well. After all, it is his money that gets you all this." She nodded obediently, but her face was blank.

It had been 5 years since my contract with Richard had been formed. In all that time, we had yet to discover his wife's murderers. In truth it seemed I spent more time dotting over his unwanted baby girl, who I had named Echo for her tendency to mimic sounds. She was quickly growing into a lovely young girl, as well as being exceptionally clever for her age. Her relationship with her father was strained at best, although that description hardly scratches the surface. All her endeavors to be close to him were pushed away, but at the same time he provided her anything she desired, and I believe he took a certain pride in her, even if he could not bring himself to love her. Echo, on the other hand, didn't know her father well enough for even that. For all intents and purposes, I was the only "father" she had ever known. A tug at my hand pulled back to the present.

"Ribbons!" My young charge reminded me forcefully. I smiled at her.

"Don't be impatient now." I mock scolded. "It's not ladylike to have such a temper." As a response, the child scrunched up her nose, crossed her eyes, and stuck out her tongue in the most unladylike face she could muster. Raising the white flag, I led her into a small store filled with a variety of fine, multicolored hair ribbons. She instantly bolted, allowing me a moment to myself. In this brief laps of chaotic sound and energy, I found myself reflecting on how much I had changed over the last 5 years. I had grown taller, though unfortunately I hadn't become any more muscular, and still looked fairly young. Mentally the changes were far more apparent. I no longer minded my butler uniform, nor my small quarters. And between running around after Echo and my other butler chores, I hardly had time to think of... Him anymore. Whereas my faithful butler had once dominated my thoughts, he had now been pushed to the fringe by the constant bustle of my everyday life. Thinking of him (which I did so with much more wistful longing than I care to admit) still caused my chest to constrict and heart to ache, that much had not changed.

I cast my eyes out the open door, and what I saw made me freeze. As if conjured up by my thoughts, a tall, slim figure in black stood. Of corse, the man was far away, and the sunlight shown into my eyes, impairing my vision, but I could have sworn it was him. Grudgingly, I pushed such thoughts away as wishful thinking. Like he would ever seek me out. Me, the one who had caused him more misery than any soul on hell or earth. He had implied as much when he called me his eternal curse. I tore my eyes away from the tall and oh so familiar figure to focus on the ball of energy who had returned to darting about my legs. I caught her and lifted the small girl buried in the ruffles and frills of her dress into my arms.

"Did you find a ribbon?" I asked her. Nodding, Echo revealed a blue green ribbon carefully embroidered with tiny golden fish. I paid for it, and quickly tied it onto the end of her braid, removing the pale pink ribbon that had been in its place. I placed her back onto the ground.

"Now how about we get you home." She slipped her pudgy hand into my much larger one and jammed the thumb of her free hand into her mouth. I tugged her thumb out but it was back in again before I even glanced away. I felt a swell of affection (though slightly tainted by annoyance) for her stubborn determination even over a matter so small and seemingly unimportant. I grudgingly let it go for now and led the satisfied toddler back to the carriage that sat parked down the street. All the while the figure I had glimpsed lurked on the back of my mind like a phantom.

By the time we arrived at the manor Echo was fast asleep against my arm. I lifted her up to cary her inside. The peach colored ruffles and frills that adorned her dress made it almost look as if I held an elaborate wedding cake in my arms and not a sleeping baby girl. Chuckling at the thought, I brought the little bundle up to her room and changed her into a nightgown before laying her down on her pastel colored plush bed and tucking her in. I undid her long braid, careful not to tug on on of the numerous tangles that had manifested in her hair. Then it was time to report to my master.

I stood outside his office door unwilling to enter, knowing full well my masters temperament. His mood, which was rarely pleasant, often veered sharply towards anger, and he was quick to punish me for even the slightest error. Though physically his punishments were harmless, as always the blow to my pride was far more severe. Finally, cursing my hesitance, I rapped my fist lightly against the door before entering.

"The little mistress is in bed, is their anything you request of me... Master?" My master's eyes narrowed slightly, but he chose to let my hesitance slide. Even after nearly 5 years in Richards service, I could not call him master without hesitation. It was a brief pause, but not one he had failed to pick up on. I had suffered many beatings as a consequence.

"As a matter of fact, I do require you. I am attending a ball tonight, I expect preparations to be made for both myself, and the girl." I slid out my reply through gritted teeth.

"Will that be all... Master?"

"Yes, for now. Be off Ciel I have important paperwork to attend to." Inwardly seething I bowed stiffly and made my exit.

I started in my masters room, laying out an elegant black suet with blue embroidery and a pale blue tie. Next I entered Echo's room. Quietly, so to not disturb the sleeping child, I pulled out a pale blue dress with two large navy blue bows adorning the front. The light blue fabric was pinched up at the bows to reveal the cream colored silk beneath. Various other ribbons and frills adorned the dress, as per usual. I hung the elaborate bundle of ribbons on the door handle, also including a small hat decorated in matching flowers, and at the foot of the bed placed a pair of black dress shoes with silver buckles. A pair of lacy white socks, blue hair ribbons, and stockings were also laid out in preparation.

I sent the footman off to hitch the horses up to the carriage. That left me a few minuets to get my every day duties compleat. Though I had not let go of the shard of resentment still lodged in my heart, I had certainly gleaned a new respect for my former butler. I realized now just how difficult the everyday tasks he completed so seemingly effortlessly truly were. The little things I had taken for granted I now deeply appreciated. My chest constricted and a prickling sensation needled me in the backs of my eyes as I thought my revaluation had come to late. I would never have the chance to thank him for putting up with me for all those years, not that I would have. I was to prideful to see what I had until it was ruthlessly striped away, leaving me alone and exposed, at the mercy of the whims of my master. I continued brooding over my lack of hindsight as I struggled with my routine chores.

Finally it was time to prepare my young charge for the occasion. While I still selected my masters attire, he was a full grown man and needed no assistance dressing. Echo, on the other hand, was as helpless as I had been under Sebastian's care, perhaps more so accounting for her age and relative innocence.

I gently shook the child awake. She peered up at me through a curtain of tangled hair that obscured her face, kneading her eyes with her grubby fists.

"Common, time to get up." I murmured. Her only response was to let out a low groan of protest and flop back down, burying herself in a mound of pink comforter and stuffed animals. I lifted my groggy young charge and carried her to the washroom. Sitting her on the sink ledge, I dampened a rag and washed her face, cleaning up the dribble which had dried on her chin and wiping away any last remnants of sleep. Next I unraveled her braid and began tugging small strands of hair aside and twirling them around my finger, before making a loop with each strand and pinning it atop her head. When it was done, the elaborate updo resembled a rose. A few select pieces of hair hung along side her face in tiny, carefully rolled corkscrews. I swept her choppy bangs to the side. There wasn't much I could do about them. After encasing the writhing child in the frills of her overly elaborate dress and pining the hat in place, she was finally ready to brave the tedium sure to ensue.

"Are you ready to pretend to be friendly to various people you have never met and likely will never meet again in order to please a father you don't care for?" I asked the tyke bluntly. She shook her head stubbornly, but offered no resistance when I led her out to the carriage where her father sat waiting. Translation; ready as I'll ever be. I lifted the child up and placed her beside her father in the gaudy and unnecessarily heavily decorated carriage before taking my position beside the driver. Yes indeed, I thought to myself, this is sure to be a long night.

Had I known what would transpire at this unfortunate social necessity, I would have, without a doubt, stayed home.

AN: sorry 4 not updating in 4ever. Hope this makes up for it. Sebastian will b in the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

I sighed irritably and cast my eyes about the spacious and gaudily decorated ballroom. My foot tapped out of time with the blaring, dizzying music, displaying my impatience with the entire affair. Echo stood by me, the image of perfect compliance and blind devotion to her father. Only because of my in-depth knowledge of the child's ticks did I realize how utterly shallow this mask of innocence went. Her bright green eyes darted about the room, shining with mischief, yet simultaneously glazed with boredom. It was like watching fireworks contained beneath frosted glass. Finally, her gaze locked upon something across the spacious ballroom. The tot caught my gaze with her pleading eyes. Begging 'please please please let me go. I'll be careful, I won't make a scene and I'll be back in just a second, but I can't take one more minuet of this standing around!' Grudgingly I nodded my consent. No use in tormenting the child. She briefly threw her arms around my legs before releasing me and flouncing off, disappearing amidst the throngs of twirling couples waltzing across the floor. I hardly spared a thought to whatever had ensnared her attention so thoroughly before I returned to the state of boredom that was customary for me at these unfortunate social necessities.

I remember when I was actually forced to play a role in this tedious affair. When I would dawn a smile and play the gracious host, or the pleasant and charming guest. I remember Sebastian standing just behind me, offering gentle reminders to smile, and occasionally administering a firm reminder to behave. I caught myself sinking down into melancholy, and decided to go find my wayward charge as a remedy for any lingering thoughts of my ex butler.

I found her on the other side of the ballroom chatting animatedly with a tall, elegantly dressed man. I hardly spared Echo's new found companion a glance, however, as he was of no consequence to me. For all I cared he could be some visiting dignitary, or a servant like me. Human politics had ceased to amuse me years ago.

"Echo, I believe it's nearing your bedtime. We should probably find your father and request that we go home." I told the child, expecting her to jump at the chance to escape. The last thing I was expecting was her to want to remain at a ball any longer than she had to, so it came as a surprise when she groaned in a highly undignified fashion and stomped her foot petulantly.

"But I wanna stay and take to my new friend!" She wined. It was then I noticed that the stranger Echo had taken such an interest in had been observing me a little to carefully from the moment I had approached them. I turned to face the man, about to make a hasty departure, when my uncovered eye locked with two oh so familiar crimson ones.

"Se-Sebastian?"

AN: I know it's short and I haven't updated in forever (again) but this was the only place I felt I could leave it off and have it sound ok. It's my New Years resolution to update more frequently though, so fingers crossed.


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